Discord Software Engineer Interview Questions + Guide in 2024

Discord is a rapidly growing communications platform popular for voice, video, and text interactions. It has over 150 million monthly users and offers a communal space where genuine connections can be made effortlessly, fostering relationships with friends and communities globally.

As a Software Engineer, you’ll be instrumental in designing, building, and maintaining vital features that power the platform. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop scalable and reliable systems that meet Discord’s evolving needs. This role demands a blend of technical expertise and a passion for problem-solving to enhance user experiences continuously.

In this guide, we’ll take you through the interview process, share commonly asked Discord software engineer interview questions, and offer tips to help you succeed. Let’s get started with Interview Query!

The interview process usually depends on the role and seniority; however, you can expect the following on a Discord software engineer interview:

Recruiter/Hiring Manager Call Screening

If your CV is among the shortlisted few, a recruiter from the Discord Talent Acquisition Team will contact you and verify key details like your experiences and skill level. Behavioral questions may also be part of the screening process.

Sometimes, the Discord hiring manager may be present during the screening round to answer your queries about the role and the company itself. They may also indulge in surface-level technical and behavioral discussions.

The whole recruiter call should take about 30 minutes.

Technical Virtual Interview

Successfully navigating the recruiter round will invite you to the technical screening round. Technical screening for the Discord Software Engineer role is usually conducted through virtual means, including video conference and screen sharing. Questions in this one-hour interview stage may focus on implementing a chat service or other hands-on coding tasks.

In some cases, more practical projects may be involved, such as implementing a Python-based chat server or solving specific system design problems. Apart from coding, proficiency in data structures, system design, and multithreading might be assessed during the interview.

Onsite Interview Rounds

After successfully passing the technical virtual interview, you’ll be invited to attend the onsite interview loop. Multiple interview rounds, varying based on the role, will be conducted during your day at the Discord office or virtually. This typically includes high-level design discussions, technical coding challenges, behavioral interviews, and project retrospectives.

If you were assigned take-home exercises, a presentation round may also be part of the onsite interview for the Software Engineer role at Discord.

Typically, interviews at Discord vary by role and team, but commonly, Software Engineer interviews follow a fairly standardized process across these question topics.

1. How would you modify your neural network to better distinguish between pugs and pit bulls?

Using a convolutional neural network to classify dog breeds, you built a robot that searches for lost dogs. The network struggles to differentiate between pugs and pit bulls due to mislabeled data in the training set and challenging conditions (rain, fog, distance, etc.). How would you adjust your neural network to improve its accuracy in these scenarios?

You should plan to brush up on any technical skills and practice as many interview questions and mock interviews as possible. A few tips for acing your Discord interview include:

1. Be prepared for practical coding tasks: Unlike some companies focusing on algorithmic problems, Discord tends to evaluate your practical coding abilities through tasks like implementing a chat service or solving real-world system design problems.

2. Familiarize yourself with multithreading and system design: Review concepts related to socket programming, multithreading, and scalable system design, as these areas are frequently covered.

3. Expect detailed behavioral interviews: Be ready to discuss your previous experiences, especially how you approach problem-solving and team collaboration. Practice answering behavioral questions and have specific anecdotes ready.

What is the average salary for a Software Engineer at Discord?

What kind of coding questions can I expect during the technical interview?

In the technical interview, you might be asked to implement a chat service, handle data structures like tries, or build a telnet-compatible chat server. The focus is often on practical coding challenges rather than algorithmic puzzles.

What does Discord look for in a Software Engineer?

Discord values strong technical skills, a growth mindset, and a product sense. They appreciate engineers who can take ownership of projects, collaborate effectively, and have a high degree of empathy for users. Experience in backend development and familiarity with their tech stack (Python, React, TypeScript) is a plus.

How is the company culture at Discord?

Discord aims to create an inclusive environment where employees can do their best work. The company emphasizes diversity and values creativity, collaboration, and innovation. It is committed to fostering belonging both within its team and for its platform users.

Embarking on the journey to land a Software Engineer role at Discord is an adventure filled with challenges and opportunities.

If you want more insights about the company, check out our main Discord Interview Guide, where we have covered many interview questions that could be asked. We’ve also created interview guides for other roles, such as software engineer and data analyst, where you can learn more about Discord’s interview process for different positions.

You can also check out all our company interview guides for better preparation, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Good luck with your interview!